Signal Strength for Cellular Data and WiFi

Question

Created Aug ’22

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Hi!

signal strength.png I've been required to show signal strength of the network a device is connected to (cellphone data or wifi), just like the image above. Is there a way to obtain the signal strength (how many bars) or a way to calculate it? (with dBm values maybe) that is approved by Apple?

I know there are a lot of posts already asking this but most are about 6 years old and I don't know if anything has changed since that.

I read that at some point you could do it with Core Telephony but not anymore. Then I read something about Network Extensions Entitlement but posts about that were about 4 to 6 years old.

If Apple is not allowing that, I'm going to need documentation or something official to back me up when I inform this, so if anyone knows if it exists and can share, it would be much appreciated.

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Answer 1

Scott OP

Aug ’22

I read that at some point you could do it with Core Telephony but not anymore.

You could do it by exploiting a security vulnerability, which Apple eventually fixed. There never was a documented, supported way.

If Apple is not allowing that, I'm going to need documentation or something official to back me up

You are required to prove a negative? There’s no documented API for this functionality because it doesn’t exist, and lack of documented API for something should be interpreted as implying that it’s not supported.

But if it helps, there are some fairly recent forum replies in various threads from  people confirming all this.

1

Answer 2

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

Aug ’22

Accepted Answer

There’s no documented API for this functionality because it doesn’t exist

That’s correct. Except in some very rare cases, we do not document negatives.

there are some fairly recent forum replies in various threads from  people confirming all this.

Right. Like this:

There is no public API for getting cellular signal strength on iOS, nor has their even been.

and this:

There is no supported way for a general-purpose app to get … cellular signal strengths.

…

Historically the iOS sandbox had security holes that let folks hack their way into getting this info. Those have now been closed.

While DevForums is not official documentation, I think the above should satisfy your management.

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